Lagos Bans Mini-Skirt, Tight Pants

Lagos State Government has banned all forms of dresses that expose breasts, contours and other sensitive parts of the female body, saying “they are indecent.”

This was contained in a circular issued by the State Head of Service, Mrs. Josephine Williams to entire Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, dated February 7, 2014.

Vanguard gathered that the decision was taken as a result of worsening cases of indecent dressing among the state government female public servants.

The circular however urged all Directors of Finance and Administration, DFAs, to immediately move against indecent dressing.

The circular, with the reference number CIR/HOS/14/Vol.1/022, said similar directive was issued through the HOS in 2005 in a circular number 113 mandating public servants to dress properly and decently to the office and official functions portray the good image of the state government.

The government in the circular warned that it would begin to take drastic and punitive measures against recalcitrant public servants who flout the directive.

The circular added “It has however been observed with grave concern that some officers have not been complying with this directive. The noticeable non-compliance of some officers to this directive should henceforth stop as the extant civil service rules and regulations on proper and indecent dressing still subsist and will be applied accordingly on flouters”.

The HOS listed what is contained in the new dress code for female civil to include skirts above the knee should not be worn by public servants, saying that dresses allowed are skirts which are of knee level, moderate slit and not body clinging skirts.

Williams said explained that if female public servants must wear trousers, such trousers should neither be tight nor revealing any sensitive part of their body and must be worn with a jacket.

She also prescribed that gowns to be worn by female public servants must be of knee level, moderate slit, not sleeveless and not body clinging, adding that if native attires must be worn, they must be worn completely.

The government also reeled out dress code for male public civil servants, prescribing that the dress code for men, administrative officers must wear suit and tie as professionals, while other officers wear suit and tie or French suit.

The junior and clerical staff they said should wear shirts and trousers and French suit while complete native wear is allowed for all cadres of public servants.

Williams affirmed that, “As a matter of necessity, all Directors of Finance and Administration are hereby enjoined to ensure that officers within their purview adhere strictly to moderate and decent dressing” [Vanguard].